Photos: Celebration and gloom as blue wave sweeps midterms

Nov. 4, 2026, 8:09 AM ESTJoy and despair punctuated election watch parties overnight after a blue tsunami swept the country’s midterm elections. In Detroit, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed celebrated his victory over Republican Mike Rogers to become the first Muslim senator in U.S. history. He was cheered on by a crowd of supporters — some wearing hijabs, others cowboy hats.There were contrasting scenes of disappointment at a Detroit watch party for Rogers who lost in the hostile race. Supporters at a Mike Rogers watch party in Detroit on Tuesday.Emily Elconin / Bloomberg via GettyIn Austin, Texas, James Talarico supporters greeted the beaming Democrat at a burger joint after he flipped a Senate seat that had been held by Republicans for decades. Not all Republican gatherings were forlorn. Trump ally Byron Donalds defeated Democrat David Jolly to become Florida’s next governor. Byron Donalds, center, joined by his wife, Erika Donalds, and their sons at an election night event in Hollywood, Fla., late Tuesday.Rebecca Blackwell / APIn Georgia, Democrat Jon Ossoff cruised to Senate re-election as he defeated Republican Mike Collins.Sen. Jon Ossoff celebrates in Atlanta on Tuesday. Erik S. Lesser / AFP via GettyDemocrat Roy Cooper bested former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley to win the Senate election in North Carolina, gaining a crucial seat for his party in the race to control the chamber.Roy Cooper and his wife, Kristin Cooper, in Raleigh, N.C., on Tuesday.A.M Stewart / AFP via GettyDemocrat Jocelyn Benson succeeded Gretchen Whitmer to become the next governor of Michigan, extending the party’s control for four more years.